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Award Winners

Catcher Media won a national award presented by top comic, novelist and actor Jenny Eclair at a glittering ceremony in central London on March 14th 2014.

They won the Pamela Sheridan Sex and Relationships Education Award at the UK Sexual Health Awards 2014 for a website called www.easysre.net. The website contains eight films and additional teaching resources to help educators teach young people about sex and relationships education (SRE).

“It’s great to see a company from Herefordshire being recognised nationally. The website is the culmination of a 9-year partnership with the NHS and Walsall Council, and we are especially proud that the website and the films we made are really making a real difference to young people’s lives,” adds Rick.

The website is available to use by teachers and health workers throughout the UK, and covers a wide range of subjects from growing up and puberty, sexual health and relationships, tips for parents, to domestic abuse and mental health.

“What makes the website special is that young people are at the heart of all of the films and resources. They act in them and come up with strong ideas, and we all work really hard to make them relevant to other young people – and not boring or patronising,” says Rick Goldsmith, co-director of Catcher Media, “and the other thing that makes it special is the strength of the collaboration. We work closely with Walsall Council and NHS Walsall to deliver great projects, and we do this by mixing the creative talents of writer, actor and playwright Therese Collins; the cinematography and editing of Neil Oseman, the design of Innes Jones, the sound recording and music of Ian Preece, and last but by no means least, Julia Goldsmith in her role as producer, herds these creative kittens to bring projects in on-time and on-schedule.”

The judges of the award were particularly impressed with the collaborative nature of the project which was centred on young people’s needs, and the overall effect there had been on a reduction in teenage pregnancy rates in the target area of Walsall.

“Some of these subjects can be difficult for teachers to discuss so every film and lesson plan is there to help them deal with SRE in a confident, accessible and friendly way,” says Julia Goldsmith of Catcher Media, “and it’s more important than ever that this subject is talked about calmly and clearly in the context of healthy relationships, with young people having so much exposure to sexual content in the media.”

Showcasing the best creative and innovative work, the UK Sexual Health Awards is the only event of its kind to celebrate achievements in the exciting and influential field of sexual health.

Also picking up awards were Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, who was named Parliamentarian of the Year, journalist Louise Tickle for a story about sexual abuse in schools featured in Guardian Weekend, and the long-running BBC soap Casualty for a storyline about female genital mutilation.

www.easySRE.net is a collaboration between NHS Walsall Community Health, Walsall Council’s Creative Development Team and filmmakers Catcher Media Ltd.A full list of the winners can be seen here.